Rome’s Colosseum to Open for Nighttime Visits

One of the world’s most visited (and oldest) attractions will soon open to visitors during nighttime hours.

Tourists in Rome can step back in time at the Colosseum (dated to AD 80) for after-sunset tours of the ancient structure that include visits to the arena grounds and the underground pit where gladiators would await battle. These 75-minute tours will cost €18, compared with €6 daytime tickets, but will include access to areas typically closed off to other visitors, such as the hypogeum where animals were kept until being hoisting into the arena for battle.

Tour guides who speak English, Italian and Spanish will guide visitors through the history of the structure by relaying tales of the gladiators and the various purposes that the arena space served over time. Guests can stroll through the 80 arched entryways, or take a seat on one of the rows of seating while imagining 55,000 other spectators cheering and screaming for the battles below.

Night tours will take place daily from June to September. In April, May and October, tours will occur every day except Tuesdays and Sundays. Tours will run from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m., and will be available through the end of October.